Safety in pitched roof construction has been an ever increasing concern. An alarming number of construction site accidents are due to falls from pitched roofs by workmen, or injuries sustained by workmen when roofing materials (shingles, felt, nails, flashing, compounds, sealants, and the like) or tools (hammer, nail guns, water jugs, and the like) fall from a roof onto workers or passersby below.
One of the basic difficulties in roof work is transporting the materials up to the roof and storing them there until needed. Typically, roofers will load most, if not all, of the roofing materials onto the roof surface before beginning work. In the past, this may have been accomplished by the use of ladder elevators (e.g., laddervator). However, in new home and large scale construction, a crane or large forklift may be used to transfer entire pallets of roofing material to the roof level upon delivery. Thus, large quantities of shingles, tiles, slates, or the like, may need to be stored on the roof prior to installation.
In some recorded instances, entire pallets or “squares” of roofing materials (e.g., shingles) have fallen off pitched roofs onto the ground below. If a fellow workman or passerby is below when such a large amount of material falls, serious injury or even death can occur. In addition, although probably less hazardous, workers and passersby below are also in danger of serious injury from falling tools, hammers, and smaller amounts of roofing materials and the like. As a result of such accidents, residential as well as commercial roofers are finding increased scrutiny from insurance companies and government agencies (e.g., OSHA).
In addition to such obvious safety concerns, government agencies and insurance companies are seeing more claims of injuries due to repetitive stress disorders (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome). In the roofing industry, such stresses can occur as a roofer may be forced to reach in one extreme direction (e.g., downward to a scaffold walkboard) to retrieve shingles, tools, or nails, and then reach in another extreme direction (e.g. upward) to secure the shingle to the roof.
In addition to causing stress on the body, such a work environment is inefficient, as such long reaches increase the time needed to install shingles and more readily fatigue the roofer. Moreover, extended reaches may put the roofer at increase risk of falling due to loss of balance and the like. Roofing materials and tools may be more likely to fall off a roof if a roofer has to stretch to reach them.
In the Prior Art, primitive techniques have been used in an attempt to secure materials and persons on a roof. For example, a short length of 2″ by 4″ wood may be nailed to a roof to provide temporary support for a ladder, materials, or a roofer. Such a primitive technique, commonly used, provides very little purchase for the roofer or materials to rest upon. In addition, it may take time at the jobsite for the roofer to secure such scrap lumber, cut it to size, measure for nail spacing, and install.
A number of Patents have been issued which describe various apparatus in the Prior Art for correcting the deficiencies noted above. However, most, if not all, of these attempts have failed in one or more ways, and none of these patented invention appear to have been commercially successful or readily available in the marketplace. Most of these schemes utilize unnecessarily complicated apparatus, which is too costly for the average roofer to afford, to heavy to lift to the jobsite, and to cumbersome to work with.
For example, Eisenmenger, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,154, issued Feb. 11, 1997, discloses a portable suspended roof scaffold system. Eisenmenger uses a specialized apparatus (See FIGS. 1, 3, and 4) to secure a ladder to a roof. Once the ladder is secured, an adjustable platform (See FIG. 7) may be secured to the ladder to support a walkboard or the like. The problem with the Eisenmenger system is that it requires that a ladder with specialized fittings first be hauled up to the roof and secured before the platform can be installed.
Moreover, the ladder, once secured, covers a substantial portion of the roof being worked on. Since shingles are generally installed in horizontal rows, the ladder of Eisenmenger necessarily covers a portion of each row at all times (See, FIG. 20). The roofer must either move the entire apparatus or try to install shingles underneath the ladder. In addition, the apparatus, by requiring the use of a ladder, ties up one of the roofer's ladders at the jobsite. As a result, the roofer must purchase a separate ladder for such a purpose, or do without a ladder at another location on the site.
Bitner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,600, issued Nov. 9, 1999, discloses a leveling roof platform support. The Bitner device is an improvement over using a nailed-in 2″ by 4″ and much less complex than the Eisenmenger device. However, it appears that Bitner is limited to a device for supporting a walk-board or plank, and does not explicitly provide support for ladders, tools, supplies, or roofing materials. In addition, the Bitner device utilizes a fairly complex and expensive screw-jack leveling system to provide infinite adjustment of angle. While the screw-jack system may provide more levels of adjustment, it does so at the expense of added cost and complexity. Moreover, the screw-jack of Bitner does not appear to be sufficient to support large loads (e.g., square of shingles). No method of locking the screw jack into place appears to be present.
Thus, it remains a requirement in the art to provide a simple, flexible, lightweight, safe, and inexpensive system for supporting persons, ladders, roofing supplies, shingles, tools, and accessories on an inclined roof without covering up large portions of the roof with such a device.
Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,222, issued Jan. 9, 2001, discloses a foam rubber wedge pad for placing shingles on a roof. As the pad is made entirely of foam rubber, it may be difficult to grip (no handles). Moreover, the foam pad does not provide storage for small items such as nails or tools.
In addition to the above problems in the Prior Art, injuries have occurred when ladders and scaffolding set up for roof and other work are not properly secured and as a result, fall down. OSHA requires that ladders be “tied-off” prior to work commencing. However, oftentimes a convenient and easy way to tie off a ladder (e.g., to a gutter) is not present, particularly with regard to roofing work.
Thus, it remains a further requirement in the art to provide a safe, easy, convenient, and inexpensive way to allow ladders and scaffolds to be readily attached to a housing or other structure prior to work commencing.
In addition, safety in transporting roofing and construction ladders, as well as other items is also important. An aluminum ladder flying off a construction truck can cause great bodily injury or even death on a crowded superhighway. Such dangers pose huge liabilities for construction companies which may be ultimately responsible for the actions of their employees.
Moreover, securing any load to a vehicle present safety problems. Most commercial over-the road truckers have rather elaborate straps and chains to secure loads. However contractors and homeowners have relied upon straps, ropes and even strings, to secure loads to their vehicles, with limited success and sometimes disastrous results.
Many contractors will leave ladders entirely unsecured on ladder racks, or use only a token string or rope to secure them. In addition to being unsafe, ropes and strings are difficult to tie and untie. Straps (since or ratchet) are one solution, however, they are generally provided with large rubber hooks which may slip on a ladder or luggage rack or may be difficult to secure.
Homeowners may attempt to use luggage racks supplied with their vehicles, or commercially available racks, such as the THULE® or YAKIMA® racks to secure objects to their vehicles. However, the YAKIMA® and THULE® racks may be highly specialized in their purposes and thus require an enormous amount of accessories in order to secure various items. Moreover, accessories for one rack (e.g., YAKIMA®, which uses round tubing) may not fit another rack (e.g., THULE®, which uses square tubing). Luggage racks supplied with cars generally are of little use and provide few or no places for tie-downs or the like.
When installing roofing materials, it is often necessary to cut shingles either before installation, or in situ. For example, when building a roof “Valley”, shingles may be installed over the valley, and then later cut to the valley “V” shape. Traditionally, a knife has been used for such cuts. However, there is little precision in depth of cut with a knife, and in addition, such a cut can be laborious and difficult. Too deep a cut may create roof leaks.
Power tools are generally not well suited to cutting shingles. Most are heavy and require electrical power. In addition, large power tools present a hazard to workers below if they fall off the roof. What is needed is a small powered tool which can cut shingles accurately and cleanly.
Stein, U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,533, issued Feb. 10, 1998, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a hat with a coolant supply. Coolant may be fed through the hat to wet the hat, which, through the process of evaporation, supposedly cools the head of the wearer. While the Stein hat may provide some cooling, particularly in dry climates, in many more humid climates, it may provide little more than a wet hat. Also note the limited size of the fluid reservoir in the Stein hat.
McPherson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,292, issued Mar. 30, 1993 and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a cooling cap for athletes. In McPherson, a chamber is provided to retain a fluid (e.g., icewater) which is allowed to transmit to the head of the wearer. The McPherson system allows liquid to pass to the head of the wearer and also allows ice water to be used, which can provide additional cooling over that of Stein. However, the McPherson design still passes water through the hat, which may result it little more than a wet hat, and little cooling.
In both the Stein and McPherson Patents, the reservoir size for water or icewater is limited in size. Thus, even if these devices provide any substantial cooling to the wearer, they need to be replenished on a regular basis. What is needed in the art is a system which can provide extended cooling capabilities for a user and additional cooling capacity beyond the limited capabilities of McPherson and Stein.
In the roofing, siding, and construction arts, pump jacks are known in the art. A pair of pump jack poles may be placed on the ground and fixed to a structure. A scaffold-type walk board is attached to pump jacks, one at each pole, and the scaffold board assembly may be moved up and down the pump jack poles by means of pumping with the foot, for example. Such pump jack systems are well known in the art.
However, there are safety concerns with such systems. In particular, if the pump jack poles are not securely fastened to the ground or building, the entire assembly can tip over, causing injury or death to workers on the scaffold board or working below. In the Prior Art, workers merely place the pump jack poles on the ground without securing the poles in any way. Loose or compactable soil may allow the pump jack poles to sink or shift. Uneven or sloped terrain may cause the pump jack poles to move laterally. A means of securing pump jack poles remains a requirement in the art.
Roofing tools are always at a risk of falling off a roof, especially an inclined roof. In addition to the inconvenience of having to retrieve such tools and possible damage to a tool from such a fall, there is the hazard that such tools present to workers below. Nailguns and the like present an additional hazard in that they may go off when they hit the ground and further injure other workers or passersby. A means for preventing tools from falling off roofs is still a requirement in the art.
Mounting a ladder to an inclined roofing surface can be dangerous. If the ladder is not securely fastened to the roof, it may slide off, taking the user with it. Devices are known for holding a ladder on an inclined roof. For example, the so-called “J-hook” may be attached to a ladder and hooked over the peak of a roof to prevent the ladder from sliding off the roof. However, such a technique requires that the ladder be put onto the roof surface first, and slid all the way to the top. The roofer must either try to push the ladder up from the bottom, or climb to the peak using other means and then pull the ladder up.
For large roofs, or roofs with compound or unusual peak configurations, the J-hook may not be suitable for use. In addition, such ladders may need to be frequently moved or adjusted to allow work to progress, as they may get in the way of the work area. Thus, a need in the art exists for a ladder system for use on inclined roofs which does not require that the roofer first ascend the roof. In addition, a need exists in the art for a ladder system which may be flexible so as to allow a roofer to work on the roof surface without frequently relocating the ladder.
When installing roofing materials, it is often necessary to cut shingles either before installation, or in situ. For example, when building a roof “Valley”, shingles may be installed over the valley, and then later cut to the valley “V” shape. In addition, when finishing a roof, it is often necessary to cut the shingles along the edge of the roof to provide a uniform appearing edge. These shingles may be 3 or more layers thick in some places, dulling traditional knives and saws quickly.
Traditionally, a knife has been used for such cuts. However, there is little precision in depth of cut with a knife, and in addition, such a cut can be laborious and difficult. Too deep a cut may create roof leaks. Power saws and the like are difficult to use as the saw may require an extension cord on the roof and also the blade may not be well suited for cutting shingles (i.e., it will “load up” with tar and other materials and cease to cut well). In addition, large power tools present a hazard to workers below if they fall off the roof. What is needed is a small powered tool which can cut shingles accurately and cleanly.
Roofing tools are always at a risk of falling off a roof, especially an inclined roof. In addition to the inconvenience of having to retrieve such tools and possible damage to a tool from such a fall, there is the hazard that such tools present to workers below. Nailguns and the like present an additional hazard in that they may go off when they hit the ground and further injure other workers or passersby. A means for preventing tools from falling off roofs is still a requirement in the art.
Mounting a ladder to an inclined roofing surface can be dangerous. If the ladder is not securely fastened to the roof, it may slide off, taking the user with it. Devices are known for holding a ladder on an inclined roof. For example, the so-called “J-hook” may be attached to a ladder and hooked over the peak of a roof to prevent the ladder from sliding off the roof. However, such a technique requires that the ladder be put onto the roof surface first, and slid all the way to the top. The roofer must either try to push the ladder up from the bottom, or climb to the peak using other means and then pull the ladder up.
For large roofs, or roofs with compound or unusual peak configurations, the J-hook may not be suitable for use. In addition, such ladders may need to be frequently moved or adjusted to allow work to progress, as they may get in the way of the work area. Thus, a need in the art exists for a ladder system for use on inclined roofs which does not require that the roofer first ascend the roof. In addition, a need exists in the art for a ladder system which may be flexible so as to allow a roofer to work on the roof surface without frequently relocating the ladder.
Properly installed flashing is necessary for almost all roofing jobs. Flashing that is poorly installed, bent, wrinkled, or the like, can cause leaks and detract from the appearance of a finished roof. Flashing is typically sold in copper or aluminum rolls of material. A roofer may have a roll of such material in the back of his truck. Unfortunately, the material may roll around in the truck, and moreover, workers may drop tools on it and the like. As a result, a roofer may be forced to throw away many half-used rolls of flashing material, as the material may be damaged by such rough handling. In addition, measuring and cutting such material may be awkward and difficult when handling an open roll of flashing or the like. A need exists in the art for a means of handling, storing, measuring and cutting such rolls of flashing.
Laying a ladder on a roof can be problematic as well. One problem with roofing jobs in general is that when roofers step on a completed roof surface, lay tools upon it, or drag materials, ladders, scaffolding, or the like, the roof surface may be marred, particularly in warm weather when the asphalt in the asphalt shingles may be soft. Such marring may disappear after a few days, weeks, or months, or may be permanent. In any event, it presents a problem in that homeowners may perceive such marring as roofing damage and complain to the roofer, causing much difficulty, as such marring may be impossible to repair other than to re-roof the entire house.
Ladders laid against surfaces can slide and fall, causing injury. When using a pump jack and scaffold, a worker may be tempted to climb up and down from the scaffold using a ladder laid against the pump jack pole, rather than using the pump jack to raise and lower the entire scaffold. A ladder laid against a narrow object such as a pump jack pole may tend to wobble and tip, which can cause the ladder (and worker) to fall.
Moving materials up and down a roof surface is difficult, particularly with heavy materials such as roofing tile. Laddervaters are known to get materials up to a roof surface, but laddervaters cannot be used to move materials around the roof surface itself. When removing tiles from a roof, for example, it can be cumbersome and dangerous to walk across the roof surface carrying such tiles. A means for moving such materials up and down a roof surface is required.
Placing a ladder on uneven ground will inevitably result in the ladder being unstable or tipping over. Using blocks of wood or the like to level a ladder is dangerous, awkward, and cumbersome. A means for automatically levelling a ladder is required in the art to provide a stable base for ladder support.